


All of Kenny Potter's Scenes from A Single Man

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: A Single Man (2009)
Genre: Analysis, Meta, Nonfiction, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 22:37:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18678733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the movie. Complete.





	All of Kenny Potter's Scenes from A Single Man

Eventually, I’ll finish my full review of this movie. Until then, however, I’ve decided I’m doing a review solely consisting of George and Kenny, because, Kenny fascinates me so much. He’s the character who steals this movie for me.

Whether he’s simply willing to do a lot to help a man he admires and respects, is trying to use George to figure out his own sexuality, is attracted to George and hoping George will respond to his advances, or any combination of the above is all up for interpretation. Whether he even knows what exactly his own deal is remains uncertain. He could be just as puzzled as to why he's acting the way he is as some of the audience.

The script is clear he has a crush on George. However, in the movie, Nicholas Hoult plays Kenny much more ambiguously, and in the book, there isn’t any real indication of any such feelings. Hoult stated in one interview neither he nor Kenny really knows if Kenny is gay or, I assume, anywhere else on the QUILTBAG spectrum. He also stated Kenny is drawn via an intellectual connection to George. Beyond this, the movie doesn't 100% follow the script. There are some conversational changes as well as physical ones.

Starting the review proper, at the university, there are some women wearing trousers walking around.

George is in his car, and the radio is going on about Cuba. Turning it off, he gets out. During his walk, it’s shown some of extras are people of colour.

I mention these things, because, not without historical justification, it’s rare for films set in this time period to have extras such as these. Usually if there’s a POC or a woman wearing pants, they’re there for a specific purpose.

Of course, any credit the movie might get for following the book and raising interesting questions of how and where exactly George falls when it comes to being a minority and a hidden outcast was thrown out when I read the book. Lois Yamaguchi was Japanese-American and spent time in an internment camp when she was a small child. The script deliberately called for a white, blonde actress, despite the fact her story in the book would have been perfect for all the layers and statements the movie presents.

It’s not as if it would have presented a lot of extra work on the part of anyone involved, either. Find a young Asian-American woman to sit next to Hoult for the two scenes she was in, have Kenny say a few of the things he said in the book about her, and it would have been seamless.

When it comes to not being able to find a non-Caucasian actor for a role, I’m always sceptical, though, I’m sure there are extremely rare instances when it does happen in spite of best efforts put in. However, Lois doesn’t even speak in this movie. She whispers to Kenny at one point but is unheard by the audience. Finding a passable actress of Asian descent wouldn’t have been a problem since she’s a named extra rather than an active character.

Back to the review, George goes past Kenny and Lois, and Kenny waves. George waves back.

In the script, Kenny's eyes light up, and he gives an enthusiastic wave. Here, it seems Kenny notices George looking at him and waves. This is less indicative of a crush and more indicative of politeness and, perhaps, fondness. However, the wave does fit Kenny’s on-screen characterisation of him being casual and bold.

He does have a smile during the wave, and it’s not in the script, but Kenny often smiles.

Speaking of in the script, it’s stated Kenny's eyes follow George when George walks away, but this isn’t shown.

George goes into the office where a blonde secretary tells him a male student asked for his address. She acknowledges she probably shouldn’t have complied with the request but says he was, “very nice”.

This scene raises so many questions.

How does Kenny interact with other people? He and Lois seem close, but as mentioned, she doesn’t even have a speaking part, and all the audience sees is them sitting together. Nice can mean many different things. Was Kenny quiet and shy? Alternatively, did he flirt with the secretary and use an easy charm?

Furthermore, when did Kenny take an interest in George? Did the interest spring, because, one day George came to class and it was obvious something was wrong? Did Kenny know about the friend/roommate who died and realise or suspect Jim was more? If Jim were still around, would Kenny's interest in George still play out?

Finally, something made Kenny decide today of all days was the day he’d get George’s address. Why? What was the catalyst for him taking this action? Has he been seeing the signs of George being depressed for some time and decided it had escalated to a point he needed to step in? Had he finally decided he’d try to figure out his feelings/make his feelings known outside of class, or was it somewhere along the lines of he just happened to be near the office and realised, ‘Hey, I can get the professor’s address’, and found himself doing so?

Next, George goes to class. There are people smoking, and there's an ashtray on his desk. Sitting on top of his desk rather behind it, he asks how the title of the book relates to the book's contents.

Colin Firth did a great job here. I don’t get the feeling George is trying to be hip; this action on his part is unforced.

One boy answers.

The boy's voice fades, and there's another shot of George drowning.

Kenny looks at George in concern.

Calling on someone else, George looks at Lois. She whispers something to Kenny, but he keeps his eyes on George.

A stereotypically Jewish in appearance student named Myron Hirsch is called. He wonders if Huxley is anti-Semitic due to a passage in the book where he decries the Biblical passage, “They hated me without a cause.”

Here is George's epic speech for the movie:

“No. No, Mr Huxley is not an anti-Semite. Of course, the Nazis were wrong to hate the Jews, but their hating of the Jews was not without cause. It's just that the cause wasn't real. The cause was imagined. The cause was fear. Let's leave the Jews out of this for just a moment. Let's think of another minority, one that, one that can go unnoticed if it needs to. There are all sorts of minorities. Blond/es, for example. People with freckles. The minority is only thought of one when it constitutes some kind of threat to the majority. A real threat or an imagined one. And therein lies the fear. If that minority is somehow invisible, then, the fear is much greater. That fear is why the minority is persecuted, and so, you see, there always is a cause. The cause is fear. Minorities are just people. People like us. I can see I've lost you a bit. Tell you what. We're going to forget about Mr Huxley today, and we're going to talk about fear. Fear, after all, is our real enemy. Fear is taking over our world. Fear is being used as a tool of manipulation in our society. It's how politicians peddle policy. It's how Madison Avenue sells us things you don't need. Think about it. The fear of being attacked. The fear that there are communists lurking around every corner. The fear that some little Caribbean country that doesn't believe in our way of life poses a threat to us. The fear that black culture may take over the world. The fear of Elvis Presley's hips. Actually, maybe that one is a real fear. The fear that our bad breath may ruin our friendships. The fear of growing old, of being alone. The fear we'll be useless and that no one cares what we have to say. Have a good weekend.”

During this, he occasionally looks over at two men who might be a couple.

The script says he only looks at one person, and I’m not sure if this is a difference between the movie and script. Kenny mostly keeps his eyes focused on George but follows where George is looking once or twice. Whether he sees is unknown. I thought he had, but the script said he couldn't follow George's line of sight despite trying his hardest.

On another note, Hoult is blond, but the script describes Kenny as having dark brown hair. Later, echoing Jim, Kenny refers to himself and George as invisible.

At first, I interpreted the later scene as Kenny revealing something about himself to George and George not being sure how to react. Kenny was definitely labelling himself as a minority based on something other than his unhidden in the movie and not part of his minority status in the script hair, but there’s also the possibility he was revealing his knowledge or belief non-blond, non-freckled, white, and non-Jewish George is also a minority. If this is how George interpreted it, his reaction can be read differently.

He leaves, and Kenny jumps up to follow.

Outside, Kenny appears, and I like the fact he’s a tad taller than George is. “Sir! May I talk to you for a moment?”

I don't think Kenny addresses George as anything but “sir” throughout the movie.

He asks why George doesn't talk to them like this all the time.

This is a fair question. George has some awesome thoughts people would benefit from hearing.

In response, George points out it didn't go over well. Disagreeing, Kenny says he's afraid of many things but can't talk to anyone about them for fear of sounding like a fool.

Probably thinking Kenny is both just another student and straight, George asks if Kenny can't talk about his fears with Lois. Kenny says he doesn't think Lois is afraid of anything. In response to George's statement of everyone being afraid of something, Kenny asks what George’s fear is. George answers, “Cars.”

I’m ashamed at how long it took me to realise this, but: Jim died in a car accident.

George doesn’t stop driving after Jim’s death, and in all his conversations, cars are never labelled as one of the things he finds wrong with the world, but there might be more to this answer than Kenny and this part of the audience (originally) realises.

Easily accepting George’s invasion, Kenny asks if he can ask a personal question, and upon getting an affirmative, he asks, “Do you ever get high?”

“How old do I look to you,” is George's response.

Kenny asks if George has ever taken drugs.

The paternal, concerned, and a bit placating tone George has is interesting. “Of course, Kenny.” He shares an amusing story of once taking mescaline and shaving off an eyebrow.

In response, Kenny asks if he ever tried it again, and somewhat exasperated, George asks if Kenny has been listening. He makes it clear, no, after he shaved off his eyebrow, he wasn’t going to try said particular drug again.

Looking around, Kenny quietly offers he has dope if George should ever want to get high, and this is an interesting, subtle way of showing how young 19/20-yr-old Kenny is. Whether platonically or otherwise, he likes George, and when it’s confirmed George might have some interest in taking drugs, he extends an invitation. As he said, it helps him get by, and I’ve heard (total teetotaller here) it can be a good bonding experience.

Channelling a majority of the audience, George declares, “You really are mad, aren't you?”

Of course, the other half of the audience is asking the exact same of George.

Amusingly, Kenny slightly nods his head.

Obviously not knowing what to do, George starts to walk away.

Giving off a puppyish vibe and following, Kenny easily apologises. He observes George probably doesn't feel comfortable talking like this. George asks what makes him think this.

“Well, Lois thinks you're kind of cagey.”

Does Lois really, or Kenny has noticed before now George never shares everything he knows and is voicing his frustration but doing so in a deflecting manner? Some people argue some of Nostradamus’s prophecies were a way to publish his frustrations at the state of things while ensuring plausible deniability.

Bringing up today’s lesson, Kenny subtly makes the point he knows, even with the epic speech, George is still keeping certain things unsaid. George responds Kenny himself didn't contribute to the discussion.

“I was watching you,” is Kenny's response.

This is likely when George starts to realise there's something different about Kenny, though, he doesn't give any reaction.

George answers he doesn't want to cagey, but there are things he can't discuss completely and openly at school without someone misunderstanding. He points out today was proof of it not particularly working out.

In the school shop, Kenny picks up a red pencil sharpener, and then, asks what George came for. George reveals he was on the way to the dean's office when Kenny started talking to him. When Kenny brings up the fact he came all the way down there just to talk to Kenny, George's response is, “Why not?”

After all, George may not tell everything he knows, but he is a good teacher.

However, it does fall apart due to the fact George started to walk away earlier, and Kenny followed his lead. The script had Kenny mention he was going to the bookstore when he asked to talk to George, and why they didn’t keep this simple line in, I don’t know.

Kenny insists on buying George something in thanks, and George picks a yellow sharpener. Kenny says he thought George would go for the blue since blue is spiritual.

Incidentally, both Hoult and Kenny have blue eyes, and the latter was explicitly stated in the script. This brings into question if, like George, Kenny sometimes projects his subconscious when he talks.

George asks what he's done to give the impression he's spiritual before making note of the fact Kenny picked red.

“What does red stand for?”

Here comes aforementioned projection. George answers: Rage and lust.

A later scene shows him raging against the idea the love he shared with Jim wasn't real, and he does feel lust for Kenny. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kenny already knew what red stood for and wanted to see what answer George would give. Courage and sacrifice are both symbolised by red and are safe answers for a teacher to give. Then, there are darker ones such as warning, sin, and guilt.

Seeming to go into flirting mode, Kenny moves his eyebrows, smiles, and says, “No kidding.”

George just looks at him with a slight smile.

The tone abruptly changing, Kenny somewhat awkwardly says he'll see George around, and George watches him go with the slight smile in place.

It’s not clear what he's thinking about the exchange, but he's probably telling himself not to care. Kenny may have been flirting, or he may have just been an eager student. Either way, it doesn't matter, because, after today, he'll never see Kenny again. The fact this is true makes it even sadder, because, in the end, he decides he does want to see Kenny another day.

Later, he leaves his office to go to the car. Opening his briefcase, he begins pulling out the gun (in the middle of a school parking lot) when Kenny startles both him and this part of the audience by knocking on the window. Smiling, Kenny nods for George to roll down the window. Annoyed, George does so. “Yes, Mister Potter?”

Kenny asks if George is going somewhere, and at George's sarcastic retort, he clarifies he meant on vacation or something. He explains he saw George cleaning out his office, and this is when George definitely realises there's more to Kenny than meets the eye. A student watching a teacher in class is expected. A student watching one outside of class can raise questions.

He point-blank asks what Kenny wants.

Several expressions cross Kenny’s face. Finally, he answers, “I was just hoping that, perhaps, we could get together for a drink or something sometime.” When George asks why, Kenny answers, “I don't know, sir. Because, I think you might like it, and because, you seem as though you could use a friend.”

George sharply retorts, “Oh, really?”

Sincerely, Kenny answers, “Yes, sir, you do.”

The anger gone, George acknowledges Kenny may be right but that it'll have to be some other time. Thanking Kenny for the invitation and the talk earlier, he causes amusement by warning him to stay away from mescaline. He leaves, and with the smile gone, Kenny watches from his bike.

He asked for the address before he saw George today, and maybe he never planned to do anything with the information, but then, George gave a brilliant speech, and now, he knows for sure, there’s something wrong.

Later, George leaves his house to get some more scotch, and Kenny’s motorcycle is shown. George hears something, and I’m curious where exactly Kenny is.

I don’t think he saw George and started following him. It seems he would have had just accosted George as soon as he saw him. My guess is he was going to one of the neighbours, perhaps, to the family having the party, to ask about George. If he saw the party, he might have assumed George would be at it rather than at home.

On the other hand, the possibility he was just being extra creepy and deliberately watching and following George is just as valid. I simply prefer the above.

In the bar, George starts to order a bottle of Scotch and his preferred cigarettes when Kenny comes through the door, and they spot one another.

Of course, Kenny could have just followed George, but it’s also possible Kenny stopped at the party, talked to someone, and they mentioned George was fond of the bar. Kenny tried George’s house, got no answer, and decided to try there.

George cancels the order, motions for two drinks instead, and goes over to a booth. Kenny follows.

They exchange hellos, and Kenny asks what they’re drinking. The barman brings the drinks over. Testing him, George answers, “Scotch.”

“Okay,” Kenny says, and it is. They test one another throughout the whole movie.

Interestingly, Kenny drinks less than George does. Given their ages and personalities, this would usually be the opposite. George is still self-destructive and, as a result, less worried about controlling others’ impression of him. Meanwhile, Kenny is worried about George’s self-destructiveness and has spent the entire movie saying and not saying certain things in an effort to make himself comes across a certain way to George.

George tells Kenny he comes here all the time and lives just around the corner, “But then, you knew that.”

Unapologetic but perhaps a bit unsure how to react, Kenny easily reels off the street number.

Smiling, George reveals he still has the pencil sharpener, and Kenny is surprised he’s still carrying it around.

My interpretation is this is a way of showing George subconsciously moving away from his desire to die. The pencil sharpener means something to him, Kenny means something to him, and in turn, some part of him is realising there is a way to lessen the pain without dying.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“Just out for a ride on my bike.”

“Is that all?”

The look on Kenny’s face when he answers, “I don’t know,” is filled with ambiguity.

I don’t think he was just riding around and happened to find himself near George. He did have the intent to find George, but I’m not sure he had any steps planned past this. It was something he decided he’d figure out what to do once the time actually came.

“Were you looking for me?”

“Maybe. I don’t know,” Kenny answers. He explains his head is stopped up with stuff, particularly the stuff from class.

George empathically states said stuff is unimportant.

Kenny answers, “No, it-it is important. Your class is great.” He continues they always talk about the past in his George’s class.

This statement is weird.

Maybe they usually do, but earlier, George’s epic speech was all about how fear is currently ruining everything for everyone. Sure, the past was mentioned, but the focus was on not letting the past dictate the present and, by extension, the future.

Kenny declares the past doesn’t interest him.

George asks about the present. Calling it, “a total drag,” Kenny can’t wait for it to be over. George laughs, and Kenny clarifies, “Well, tonight’s the exception.”

They drink to tonight.

Kenny shows cynicism about the future. If I were him, George’s firm, haunting declaration, “Death is the future,” would freak me out big time. Kenny, however, simply agrees.

Is he like George and good at not showing outward signs of distress?

Still a teacher and still trying to help, despite not really knowing how, George asks what there is to suggest the future will be any better than the past and the present.

Naturally, some part of him is talking about himself, too. He’s lived with the pain for so long, but now, he’s starting to get the idea he might be able to ease it, and he wants to know if the idea has merit.

Kenny admits to thinking this, though, he’s probably not admitting to having suicidal tendencies, but points out tonight as a counter-example.

I give major props to Colin Firth for George’s expression at this. Kenny just saved a life, and I doubt he even knows it.

Someone noted Kenny wears white throughout the film. If one goes by the interpretation Kenny’s role is vaguely angelic, Kenny saves George. In the end, George still dies, but he doesn’t by suicide. Suicide is considered by many to be one of the most unforgivable sins, and Kenny saved him from committing it so that he could have his peace and happiness with Jim.

Admitting to feeling lonely all his life, Kenny talks about how he can only know people through his own slanted perception of them.

George gives the same answer he gave earlier about a person only having to look closely to see who he is. He admits the few times he’s been able to truly connect with another human are what has made live worth living.

The fact he’s informing an uncomprehending Kenny of the fact Kenny just saved his life is so powerful in its subtlety.

Declaring he had a hunch about him, Kenny calls George a real romantic, and there’s some awesome tension in this exchange.

It’s clear George definitely wondered if Kenny was about to reveal his knowledge of George’s homosexuality, and the question is raised in my head if Kenny had planned on it but changed tactics at the last second.

There’s a brief silence, and then, Kenny says everyone tells him being older brings more experience. Declaring it’s not always true, George muses he’s gotten sillier as he’s grown.

Face unseen, Kenny asks if this means all of George’s experience is useless.

“No, I wouldn’t say that,” George answers.

There have been songs and quotes containing people who declare, even if they knew what pain lied in store for them, they wouldn’t have changed the course of their life. Several say they wouldn’t have wanted to know specifically so they wouldn’t be tempted to change it. George isn’t at this point, but he is at a point where, despite the enormous pain, he’s remembering all the good and starting to draw strength rather than pain from it. He’s realising he can still have the good.

Quoting Huxley, he says experience isn’t what happens to a man but what a man does with what happens to him.

“Let’s go swimming,” Kenny says.

“Okay,” George automatically agrees.

Laughing, Kenny explains he thought George was bluffing about being sillier. He decided to test him by suggesting something outrageous to see if George hesitated or protested.

What would have happened if George had hesitated or protested? Kenny’s feelings for him were unlikely to have changed, but how exactly he would have handled things isn’t clear.

George is amused. “Well, I wasn’t. Where you?”

Leaving George to pay, Kenny downs the rest of the Scotch, exclaims, “Hell no!” and speeds off.

They run off with Kenny occasionally looking behind him. He helps George down, and by a body of water, Kenny quickly strips. George hesitates but does follows suit.

There’s a lot of joy until George has another vision of himself drowning, and this time, he literally is. Kenny saves him, again, and he tries to insist he’s fine.

“Well, I’m cold,” Kenny responds.

Out of the water, George dresses.

“Can we go back to your place, sir?”

“Of course. Where else?”

Kenny has an interesting reaction to this. He sort of scoffs. “Where else?” He walks away naked save for the clothes he’s holding in front of his genitalia.

Asking if he’s out of his mind, George states he can’t go home in such a state.

After careful thought, I’ve concluded George and Kenny are mentally viewing/treating this outing in different ways. It’s been established George is a good teacher, and because he’s a teacher, there wasn’t any question in his mind Kenny would be coming home with him. His attraction to Kenny and the possibility of sex have nothing to do with this belief. If anything, it’s the opposite.

Under normal circumstances, it’s debatable whether George would have agreed to the swim, but he did. Now, Kenny is wet, cold, and the clothes he put on are going to get wet. As an authority figure, it’s George responsibility to get Kenny dry and warm, see if something can be done about the clothes, and either take Kenny to Kenny’s home or give him a place to stay until morning.

Meanwhile, Kenny is either realising this is George’s mindset, or he’s miffed at the assumptions George seemingly just made.

I’m wondering if, in Kenny’s mind, this is something akin to a date. If so, he knows not to just assume the other person is going to come in/take you home. Realising George is still seeing him as a student needing to be looked over or confronted with someone who disregards the courtesy of not assuming would explain things.

“We’re invisible, don’t you know that?”

This is such a powerful line.

He slings an arm around George’s shoulder. “You know, sir, they ought not let you out on your own. You’re liable to get into real trouble.”

When George responds, “Oh, I excel it,” Kenny’s reaction changes. His tone is annoyed, concerned, and/or uncomfortable when he points out George’s forehead is bleeding before walking away.

Kenny seems to become less than patient as the night goes on, and aside from what his mindset might be, this is possibly fuelled by the realisation it’s now or never. Lay everything out, whatever everything is, even if he isn’t sure himself what exactly everything actually is, or go back to being the kid who curiously watches his professor. Moreover, despite how bold he is, there was some truth to him saying fear of things gets to him all the time. A script was long ago written by fear, and he’s trying to fight against it.

For his part, George isn’t trying to force him into either rebelling or sticking it to it. However, George getting hurt and showing glimpses of how deeply hurt George is inside is making Kenny wonder what the best course to take is.

At George’s house, he’s redressed.

Carrying around his sweater, Kenny walks around in pants and an opened shirt. One could interpret this as he’s fulfilled his angelic role by saving George’s life both literally and metaphorically. Now, he can be human and focus on himself.

George points him to the shower, and I’m shocked Kenny’s line of, “Aren’t you taking a shower, too, sir,” didn’t get more attention on the internet.

I honestly don’t know what to make of this, and the script is of no help.

On the one hand, they did go swimming naked together. From what I understand, this wasn’t a taboo thing indicative of homosexuality back then. On the same hand, Kenny could have just literally been asking if George was going to before or after Kenny did. However, if this were the case, George probably wouldn’t have declined. He would have answered, “You go first,” or something along those lines. This implies Kenny was asking if George was going to shower _w_ _ith_ him, and I don’t know if this was a normal, harmless question or not. If not, Kenny just showed a major hand of his, and I can’t imagine George wouldn’t realise this, although, I can believe he wouldn’t react.

At George’s decline, Kenny says they need to take care of George’s cut. In George’s room, Kenny sees the sleeping bag George left on the bed. He asks if he’s going camping.

“I’m fine,” George answers.

Kenny goes to the bathroom to get the necessary first aid. He finds the naked picture of Jim. His expression isn’t disgusted or angry, but interestingly, it’s not particularly curious, either.

In fact, there’s something of a small smile. This could be solely due to the fact he just had his suspicions concretely confirmed, or it could be he just had them confirmed and is happy he might have a chance with George.

Back in the bedroom, tenderly cleaning George’s cut, Kenny makes a joke about not having the excuse of mescaline to explain the bandage.

Now, comes one of the most ambiguous, intense scenes in the film. Paternally, George says, “I think we should get you out of those wet clothes.”

Quietly, Kenny proceeds to strip and stand fully naked in front of George. George doesn’t say anything, though, the expressions on his face are painful to see. Suddenly, Kenny becomes nervous, self-conscious, and/or disappointed and quickly heads to the shower.

Again, George and Kenny are operating on different mindsets. George was focused on taking care of someone he has a responsibility towards. Colin Firth’s acting makes it clear George didn’t expect this to happen. When Kenny took off his shoes, he expected Kenny to walk away to change elsewhere.

Meanwhile, I’m not sure if Kenny believed George was making a pass or just decided this was the right time to make one of his own.

Incidentally, though I tend to think Kenny does have a sexual/romantic attraction to George, even this scene doesn’t rule out the possibility he’s simply incredibly concerned about a man he admires and respects. A 19/20-year-old kid, especially one as introspective and prone to intense anxiety as Kenny is, could decide offering his body isn’t too high a price to pay if it’ll help someone important.

On a different note, this reminds me of the movie **Total Eclipse**. There are several instances where one character asks if another character wants his soul or his body. Each time, the answerer replied he wanted the body. Could the same question be posed to Kenny and George? If so, to which one?

Kenny is the pursuer. George’s speech did propel Kenny into talking to him outside of class, but it had nothing to do with Kenny. One could argue George ordering Scotch for both of them was active on his part, but since it was in response to Kenny following/looking for him, it was more reactive. Several times, George has asked what Kenny wants, and Kenny has answered he feels an emotional connection, i.e., he feels less lonely when talking to George, and he wants to help George.

What does George want, though? He is attracted to Kenny due to the fact Kenny is attractive and has a vibrant personality, and he’s shown a paternal side when it comes to him. He wasn’t consciously looking for someone to save him. His genuine annoyance at Kenny throughout certain parts of the movie show this. Charley didn’t realise anything was truly wrong, nor did Alva. Carlos was easy to dismiss.

Kenny did realise something was wrong, and he was neither a friend George could gently manipulate away from seeing the signs nor a stranger he could drive away from and never see again. It might be, some part of him, whether his subconscious or a part of his soul, did find a way to send out a distress signal, and Kenny was able to receive it.

Beyond all this, do either truly them want the other’s body aside from visual appreciation, or do they both simply crave an emotional connection to someone?

Giving a heavy sigh, George retrieves a robe from his closet.

There’s a transition to him wearing it and lighting a fire before turning on some music. Kenny appears with a towel around his waist. George asks if he’s not too cold. Upon receiving a negative, he asks if Kenny wants a drink. Kenny wants a beer.

George goes to get them, and Kenny wanders around.

This will really give the neighbours to something talk about since robe-clad George and towel-wearing Kenny pass uncovered windows. Add George’s death the next day, and the unpleasant question of what exactly happens to Kenny’s reputation after the movie ends is raised.

When George comes back, Kenny asks if he lives alone. Answering in the affirmative, George explains he used to share it with an architect friend. Wondering what more George could want, Kenny goes on about all the independence George has.

This is either remarkably subtle or as subtle as a jackhammer.

George asks if this is Kenny’s idea of a perfect life, and Kenny curious response is, “What’s the matter, sir? Don’t you believe me?”

George wonders where Lois fits into Kenny’s dreams of bachelorhood. Kenny asks what Lois has to do with anything. George explains he got the impression Kenny and Lois where together.

Kenny states they’re just good friends, and I think Kenny might be genuinely surprised George was under this impression. However, it doesn’t stop him from saying he thinks what George really wants to ask is if they sleep together.

George confirms this, and either Kenny’s a bit psychic, or there’s some undeniably less-than-stellar writing going on.

George asked where Kenny’s assumed girlfriend was in Kenny’s desire for a house of his own. Aside from this and asking if Kenny couldn’t talk to Lois about his fears, he hasn’t shown any interest in their relationship one way or another.

Now, maybe he was wondering why his student was suddenly catching him after class, asking him for a drink, and then, looking for him after school hours instead of hanging out with his girlfriend. This would be plausible and in-character, but he hasn’t shown any indication of such thoughts.

Kenny tells him they slept together, “Once.”

“Why only once?”

“I didn’t say only once. I said once. Come on, the last thing I want to talk about now is Lois.” He asks what time it is.

George’s watch is broken, and he makes both this part of the audience and Kenny uncomfortable.

Kenny tentatively asks if George wants him to go, but snapping out of his dark mood, George cheerfully tells him to get them more beer.

Kenny eagerly asks, “Is that an order, sir?”

George softly answers, “You’re damn right it is.”

Kenny goes, and George watches him. Then, downing the rest of his beer, he mutters, “Pathetic.”

Wrong. This is a good sign.

Lust isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s neutral until acted on, and not all expressions of lust are bad. It’s bad when people forget the person they lust for is, in fact, a person and fail to treat them as such, but there are respectful ways to show and/or otherwise act on it.

Whether handled properly or improperly, however, lust is simply a sign of life.

Reappearing, Kenny asks if George said something, and George drunkenly inquires why Kenny is here and why he went to the office to get his address. Kenny briefly hesitates before answering, “I- just wanted to see you some place other than school.”

“Why?”

“Sometimes, I- I think I’m crazy because I see things so differently from everyone else. I feel like I can talk to you.” Then, he confesses he was also worried about George today.

As his vision is fading, George repeatedly assures Kenny he’s fine.

There’s another dream of him drowning, and then, George wakes up in his bed. Interestingly, Kenny took the sleeping bag off.

Getting up, George goes to find Kenny sleeping on a couch.

Probably noticing the way the blanket is curled around something instead of up over Kenny’s shoulder, he pulls it down enough to reveal the gun. I sincerely hope it’s unloaded. George’s face is equal parts touched and saddened.

A boy so young shouldn’t have to worry so much.

Taking the gun and properly covering Kenny, he locks the gun in his desk. Again, I hope it’s unloaded. Locking a loaded gun up doesn’t particularly make it safer.

Next, he removes the evidence of the fact he was going to kill himself, although, he doesn’t retrieve the money he left for his maid, Alva. For both his and Kenny’s sake, this is a good thing, but also for Kenny’s sake, some part of me still can’t help but wish he hadn’t.

Of course, he dies untouched by the stigma of it, but Kenny knew. Kenny saw the letters and keys, and he took the gun, because, he, at least suspected, if not outright realised, what it all meant. In the morning, Kenny’s going to wake up, he’s going to find the gun gone, and then, he’s going to find George.

He’ll be told it was a heart attack and know it’s true, but some part of him is going to feel like a failure. He slept over with a gun pressed against his skin, and George still died. He opened up as best he could, and it saved George from suicide, but it didn’t save him from death.

Furthermore, I doubt he’s going to be thinking of this or care too much, at first, at least, when he does realise the possibility, but this has the potential to harm his reputation and could cause problems for him in the future.

It isn’t fair to George, but if he’d died the suicidal old man with his young, possibly teenaged, student was trying to save him, Kenny would likely have come out looking much better.

However, this is for the best. Whatever the true extent and depth of his feelings, Kenny cared about George and didn’t want him dead. He’d rather George die from a heart attack than from actively depriving life of his presence. There’s also the fact he’s not some helpless kid needing emotional coddling. He’s a young man full of bravery who is determined to be even braver yet by changing the world, despite, in his own words, occasionally being panic-stricken. The world’s undoubtedly going to throw a lot more at him, but he’s going to throw a lot of stuff right back at it.

Some of this is going to be thanks to George.

Fin.


End file.
